The Killing Shadow
by MadHatter5959
Summary: It has been a few years since the Dragonborn killed Alduin, saving Skyrim as well as the world from destruction, and the new Dark Brotherhood received their biggest target yet; the Dovahkiin himself. The job is granted to two people; Kliftar and Thorin. Can Kliftar find and kill the Dragonborn by himself? What awaits him in the unforgivable icy land of Skyrim?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"That will be 6 gold coins." The barkeep said, holding out his hand. The man on the other side of the bar made a surprised face, as if he saw something he couldn't believe. "6 gold coins? This is basically robbery!"

The barkeep grunted, not impressed. "I don't haggle with my prices. Either open your coin purse, or go thirsty."

"Well, hard to argue with that." The man said, smiling and pulling 6 coins out of his coin purse. He dropped them into the barkeeps hand, and the barkeep rewarded him with a mug of ale. The man took his mug and sat at a bench next to the fire pit in the middle of the inn, warming his hands up with the fire while warming his body up with the ale. The inn wasn't very busy that night and had very few people in it. That wasn't too surprising; it was an inn outside the city, and not the finest inn at that. Most people would prefer to just walk the one mile into the city and find a better inn. But this man didn't mind; he tried to avoid big cities whenever he could, they had too many cut purses.

The man was taking a second chug of his ale when he looked over and saw that someone was sitting besides him. He blinked, not hearing nor seeing the man sit down, and looked at his ale. "This must be more potent stuff than I thought. I did not know you were next to me sir."

The man, who had a cowl covering his face, said nothing at first. There was an awkward silence in the air for a few moments before the man in the cowl asked; "Is your name Hanzel?" the voice was rough, as if the stranger had a sore throat.

Hanzel nodded, surprised. "You know me stranger? I feel at a disadvantage; I do not know you. How did you come across my name?"

"I do not know you personally, but someone out there does." The hooded man said, sounding every bit as mysterious as he looked. He stood up suddenly, making Hanzel jump a bit.

"Do not panic, but I saw a group of bandits on my way here, looking for trouble. If I were you, I suggest leaving before they arrive if you value your life." With that the hooded man took his leave, exiting the inn as if it would burst into flames any second.

Hanzel did not know what to make of this; what he did know was that he paid for this mug of ale, and he was going to finish it, bandits or not. As he was chugging the rest of it, he heard the doors to the inn open. He turned to look and his heart jumped into his throat; a group of rough looking men wearing old armor walked into the inn, laughing and cursing loudly.

Thinking that the hooded man was smarter than he looked, he got up, slowly going around the bench and heading towards the door. Every second he was passing the group he thought they would draw their weapons and cut him down. By the time he passed them, he was sweating and realized he had been holding his breath. He let it out, not wanting to test his luck further and leaving the inn.

The air was chilly this night, with a beautiful view of the full moon and millions of stars. Hanzel stopped for a few seconds, trying to calm down and admire the view at the same time. He had just got his breathing back to normal when he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder, making him jump with fright. He turned to see the hooded man from before, and sighed in relief.

"You gave me quite the scare there stranger." Then he assessed his situation, and crossed his arms. "Those weren't bandits were they? You lied to me."

"No, they were actually bandits." The hooded man simply said, and as if they were listening, Hanzel heard sounds of fighting and screaming from inside the inn. He went to open the door, saying, "We should go and try to he-"But he was cut off as he felt something hit his gut and felt a burst of pain. He looked up to see that the hooded man had pulled out a dagger and stabbed him.

"You soul has been claimed for Lord Sithis. You should be honored." He said, twisting the dagger and making Hanzel shake and scream before yanking the dagger out, sending a splash of blood over the floor and his boots. Hanzel fell to the ground, clutching his gut and looking at the hooded man with confusion in his eyes.

"Why? What did…I do to y-you?" He managed to say before coughing up blood. The man in the hood drew back his cowl and kneeled next to him, looking him dead in the eyes. As Hanzel was dying, feeling his body slowly grow cold as his blood left his body and made a puddle around him, he realized that his murderer was an Argonian, with bright yellow eyes and green scales, reflecting the moonlight and appearing to shine.

"I do not know you personally; but someone out there does; that someone wanted your life taken from you, and they wanted it to look natural. I doubt that anyone will question your death after seeing what the bandits did to those poor people inside. I am not the one who asks for your death, just the one who delivers it." With that the Argonian stood up, pulled his cowl over his face, and left, the last image Hanzel ever seeing was the Argonian walking away as he lay there and bled to death.

.

"Kliftar! How was your last assignment?"The Wood Elf yelled, jumping off of the table she had been standing on and landing before Kliftar. It was one of his few friends, Sheila, a small Elf with short dirty blond hair and hazelnut colored eyes. She jumped from one foot to the other, full of energy as she always was. He didn't answer at first, but her bouncing was annoying him, and he finally gave in.

"It's like it always is. I went, confirmed the target, and killed him." Kliftar wasn't much for talking; being an Argonian, he had always been told that his voice sounded hideous as a child growing up in Skyrims cold and unforgivable environment. That and he just didn't like speaking much in general.

Sheila crossed her arms and pouted, not convinced. "Come on Kliftar, that can't be all of it. I heard it was a special one, and that Mahargo specifically picked you for the job."

Mahargo was the leader of their little band of killers. He wasn't the leader for no reason; the previous leader tried to assassinate him, and ended up dying. Kliftar looked around, trying to find somewhere to escape and failing.

"Well, a little bird told me that they found our friends target dead along with three other people inside the inn. Apparently, Bandits ransacked the place, killing everyone and taking anything of value before leaving." Another member, Thorin, said, leaning against a wall and smiling. He was tall, with short black hair and dark brown eyes.

"Oooo you made it look like the bandits did it? How? How did you even know the bandits would attack the inn?" Sheila asked, bombarding him with questions as always. He shrugged, only responding with, "Lucky guess."

In truth, he paid the bandits 100 gold to attack the inn. He actually expected them to kill the target for him, but they let him just walk out the door. There was no problem; he told the target about them just in case they didn't kill him. Either way the targets fate was sealed, his soul resting with Lord Sithis now.

"No surprise that the great Kliftar pulled of his assassination to the letter, meeting the exact conditions that were given to him." Thorin said, smirking. Kliftar just looked at him, not responding. It was no secret that Thorin was jealous that Mahargo gave the more challenging targets to him. It was good that Thorin wasn't the type to kill to gain favor, or Kliftar would have to watch what he ate and sleep with one eye open.

"Let him be Thorin; you will have the chance to prove yourself." A voice said, coming from a tall Nord walking into the room. The Nords name was Jax. He had long brown hair and sky blue eyes. Jax was the kindest member they had; always worrying about all of them and cooking dinner for everyone. Kliftar was the most wary of him; He might seem like a gentle giant, but his targets were the most brutalized out of all of them, the families barely able to identify them. He was not someone to underestimate, so Kliftar made sure not to.

"I've proven myself plenty; Mahargo just has a crush on Kliftar, and treats him like a babe still sucking the teat." Thorin responded, smiling but giving Kliftar a cold stare at the same time. Kliftar was used to this; Thorin was very vocal about what bothers him. Kliftar did what he always did; He simply walked away, going up the stairs to the second floor. He heard Thorin saying some childish remark as he left, but it never bothered him. He didn't care what others thought about him.

He walked into the rest room, with beds lined up against the wall and chests at the foot of the beds. He walked over to his bed, quiet as a shadow, and pulled out his key, unlocking his chest. As he was about to open it, he felt a presence behind him. He simply went on with what he was doing, taking off his cloak and putting it into the chest. If someone wanted to speak to him, they would eventually.

"Kliftar. The mission was successful I take it?" A feminine voice said from behind him. He instantly recognized it as Marandurs voice and allowed a smirk to creep across his face, though it most likely looked like he was snarling, him being an Argonian and all. He turned around, looking at the Dunmer. She was of average height, with the trademark red eyes all Dark Elves have and long black hair with odd gray streaks running through it.

"Do you have to ask?" He answered, walking over to his bed and sitting on the edge of it. She followed him, standing in front of him and smirking. "Someone's beginning to get arrogant."

"It has nothing to do with that." He responded, moving his tail to a more comfortable position and glaring at it. The tail is the one thing he wished he could trade with the Khajiit; their tails were flexible, able to move easier and even wrap around items. His tail was more rigid, making sitting or laying down a game of pick the right position.

"You are the only Argonian I know that hates your own tail." Marandur said, pulling him out of his own head. He said nothing; she knew him better than any other member of the Dark Brotherhood, and he learned early that it was pointless to argue with her.

She poked him between his eyes, something she knew he hated because his eyes were wider apart than the other races, making him have a blind spot right in the middle of his face. "By the way, Mahargo said he wanted to speak to you." She said, taking a step back just in case; he had only swung at her once when he was grumpy, and she learned from her mistakes.

He sighed, standing up and walking towards Mahargo's room. Being the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, he was the only one that got a room to himself. Kliftar walked back downstairs, feeling his tail touch every step on the way down. He noticed that everyone had dispersed and felt better; he didn't feel like being bugged by Sheila, or being complained about by Thorin.

He stopped outside the doorway of Mahargo's room. There was no door, but he didn't need to knock or make himself known; a few seconds later he heard Mahargo tell him to come forward. He stepped into the room, finding Mahargo in his usual spot, sitting on the ground. He indicated in front of him, and Kliftar obeyed, sitting down across from him, crossing his legs. At least when he sat on the floor he didn't have to move his tail around.

"Mahargo greets you, Kliftar, and welcomes you back. Mahargo is glad to see you return safely." He said, attempting to smile and running into the same problem Kliftar has. "Tell Mahargo, did you run into any problems?'

Kliftar shook his head. "None. It was an easy target with an easy set of objectives the client wanted. I gave his soul to Sithis, and made it look like bandits did it. Nothing special."

But Mahargo shook his head, as Kliftar expected he would. "Do not belittle yourself green one. Making a death look like an accident is never an easy task, but you do it gracefully and with no mishaps. Not many people, even assassins, could pull that off as well as you do."

"You could." Kliftar said. Mahargo had never once been spotted by a witness, nor has any target ever escaped him. Most guards and imperial soldiers don't even know he exists. He is more like a shadow than a Khajiit, and is the closest to Sithis out of all of them. There was a reason he lead the Dark Brotherhood.

He nodded. "Yes, Mahargo could. But Mahargo was not as talented at your age as you are. If you keep up as you are, you will pass old Mahargo up easily, and could become the new leader of the Dark Brotherhood."

"A position you know I do not want." Kliftar said, not for the first time. He had made it clear to Mahargo that he had no intentions of leading them. The only thing he was good at was killing, and it was all he really wanted to do.

To his surprise, Mahargo chuckled. "Mahargo knows this, friend. Do not fret, Mahargo only teases." Then his face grew serious, and it was rare for someone who was usually laid back. "There is a matter that we must discuss before I tell the rest of the Brotherhood."

That caught Kliftars attention. "And what might that be?'

"While you were away, pursuing your target, Durag the Black Hand got a new target from the Night Mother." Mahargo said. Kliftar had never seen him this serious. He thought about the Night Mother and shuddered; He followed her faithfully, but he did not envy the Listener, Durag the Black Hand, who had to talk to the withered corpse every day.

"The target is the biggest target we have ever received, one that Mahargo doubts even we can kill." He looked Kliftar dead in the eye and said, "The target is the Dovahkiin."

Kliftar just blinked, trying to process what he just heard. The target…was the Dragonborn? The most powerful mortal in the known world, the man who killed Alduin and basically saved the world? "You are right Mahargo, that is the biggest target we have ever received. But why council with me before telling the others?"

Mahargo didn't answer right away. When he did, he answered with a question. "I need to know your honest opinion; who should take this job and try to kill the Dovahkiin?"

Kliftar didn't have to think very hard. "You Mahargo. You are the best of us, and the only one that stands a chance in my opinion."

Mahargo smiled, and Kliftar knew he wouldn't like what Mahargo said next. "Thanks for the praise, friend…but Mahargo will not take this job. Mahargo grows old; it is time for the young ones to step up and take Mahargos place."

Kliftar sighed, not surprised but knowing that he couldn't change the old cats mind. Once Mahargo said something, it was final. "So it will be up to us to kill the Dragonborn. Who will you assign this to?"

"Mahargo will not assign this to anyone." He said, surprising Kliftar again; he was not normally surprised this many times in one day. "Mahargo will let anyone who wants to go take the job."

Kliftar nodded, not knowing what else to do. This was a special target, so he guessed it needed special circumstances. He stood up and looked down at the leader of the Dark Brotherhood. "So, let's get this over with."

.

The members of the Dark Brotherhood stood there in silence, absorbing what they had just heard. Kliftar had already heard it once, so he was waiting to see what happened next, leaning against the wall behind everyone.

"Are you serious Mahargo?" Jax asked, looking concerned. "The Dovahkiin? We might as well be asked to try and kill a god."

"But he isn't a god." Thorin said, grinning. Out of the entire group, he was the only one who was smiling; Kliftar knew he was arrogant, but to think he could kill the Dragonborn by himself?

"He is mortal, and mortals can be killed." Thorin continued, walking up to the front of the group. "I want this target Mahargo."

Everyone was silent for awhile, waiting to see what Mahargo would say. Mahargo looked at all of them and finally said, "Is he the only one?"

No one spoke up; unlike Thorin, the rest knew their limits, and didn't want to go on a suicide mission. Kliftar sighed; Thorin was a skilled assassin, but Kliftar did not think he was capable of killing the Dragonborn. Kliftar slowly raised his hand and said, "He is not the only one."

Everyone looked back at him, but it was Thorin who Kliftar was looking at; Thorin was glaring at him, enraged. "What? Getting all of the best targets isn't good enough for you, is it? No, you just have to have the biggest of them all."

Kliftar held his glare, not flinching or backing down. "It has nothing to do with wanting it. I do not think you capable of killing the Dragonborn."

Now everyone looked stun, even Thorin; He wasn't known for challenging Thorin. Most of the time he just ignored Thorin, heading to his bed. He had never openly spoken against him, especially not to say he skilled enough to kill a target.

Thorin's surprise turned to anger again, and he walked over to Kliftar and got right into his face. "I'm sorry, I do not think I heard you correctly; why don't you say it again."

Kliftar slightly turned his head, angry now because Thorin had gone into his blind spot without realizing it. "I'll say it as many times as I need to. What will you do to stop me?"

They stood there, staring each other down, when Mahargo finally stepped forward. "Enough you two." Mahargo said sternly. He did not yell; he didn't need to. Thorin and Kliftar glared at each other for a few more seconds, and then Thorin grunted, walking away from Kliftar.

"Now that I have everyone's attention again." Mahargo said, calm as always. "Both Thorin and Kliftar have offered to take the target. So both of them will get too."

Kliftar blinked, almost not believing what he had just heard. "Both of us?"

Mahargo nodded. "Yes. There is more to this target than just killing him. Have none of you wondered why we haven't heard of the Dovahkiin in years?"

Kliftar thought back. Now that Mahargo mentioned it, it had been a few years since there had been any news of the Dragonborn. No one else said anything, also realizing this.

"The Dovahkiin disappeared soon after Alduins death. Unlike most heroes, who would bathe in the glory that comes from killing a mighty enemy, the Dovahkiin went into hiding. No one has been able to find him since then. It would be foolish to send one assassin to try and find someone who does not want to be found, and then kill them." He looked at Thorin, then at Kliftar.

"So, I will allow both of you to search. Whoever finds him first and brings back proof of his death will get the reward money. If I don't hear from either of you in a year, I will find and kill him myself."

Mahargo stopped to let it sink in. He didn't say it, but there was a hidden message in those words; whoever killed the Dragonborn would take his place as the leader of the Dark Brotherhood. Kliftar was hesitant now; He didn't want to lead them, but he also didn't want Thorin too. He sighed, realizing that Mahargo had set a trap for him, and he had blundered into it.

Thorin realized this too, his smile returning. "Sounds good to me. I will find the Dragonborn, and I will prove that he is a simple mortal." With that Thorin walked off, no thinking or planning at all. This did not surprise Kliftar one bit; he only hoped that the fool would never find the Dragonborn.

Everyone started talking at once, making Kliftars head hurt. He quickly fled from the crowded area, escaping into the kitchen and deciding that he might as well eat. As he was making food he felt a presence. He knew who it was due to the chill that always runs down his spine whenever he is around her. He slowly turned around and met eyes with Durag the Black Hand.

She was an orc, easily over six feet tall with short black hair. She dressed in a long black robe, and was the most mysterious person Kliftar knew. He sat down next to her, wondering if she had something to say; she was wise just like Mahargo, and it was always a good idea to listen when she spoke.

"Rare to find you here at this time Durag." Kliftar said, knowing that Durag talked even less than he did. He thought she wouldn't respond, but she smiled slightly, surprising him; she usually had a blank expression all the time.

"You can not imagine the joy I felt hearing the Night Mother utter the Dovahkiins name to me. It is the biggest name we have ever received, and I look forward to seeing who will end his life."

Kliftar said nothing, not knowing what to say. As mysterious as ever, Durag stood up and walked away. Right before she turned the corner, she turned said, "I believe it will be you that finds him." And with that she was gone to wherever she goes. He sighed, knowing that there was no backing out, and went to his bed to pack supplies.

It was going to be a long trip.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Kliftar growled as he shoved his hands under his armpits, trying to get as warm as possible. No matter how long he lived in Skyrim, he never got used to the endless cold blanketing the land. Being cold blooded didn't make things easier; when he got cold, it was like all of his energy was slowly being sapped as his fingers and tail went numb. He looked over at Marandur, who was grinning and walking without a care in the world. Somehow she got used to the cold, though he will never know how.

His mind went back to the three nights before, when he was getting ready to head out. He knew it would be no easy task finding the Dovahkiin if he didn't want to be found. He thought his best bet would be to go to Riften and have a talk with the Thieves Guild. It was well known that the Dovahkiin had not only joined the Thieves guild, but he actually became the leader of it for a good amount of time before he went into hiding. The Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves guild conversed every now and then, and he knew some of their members very well. Seemed like the best place to start.

"Where are you going to look first?" He heard Marandur say from behind him. He looked over his shoulder at her. She looked curious, and he knew he wouldn't like where this was going. "Riften. Seems like the best place to start."

"Riften huh. I haven't been there in a long time. Sounds fun."

Kliftar stopped packing and turned around, hating that he was always right. "Well you will have to go on your own sometime."

She crossed her arms and smiled. "Why, when you are going there? I shall travel with you."

"You know I work better alone." Kliftar said, closing his pack and throwing it over his shoulder. He went to move, but she moved to block him.

"Yes, but you can't even call it work until find out where he is. I happen to have a couple of good spells for hunting people, and you are going to need help; It's the middle of winter, and you're a coward when it comes to the cold."

He glared at her, knowing she was right but getting upset anyway. Why can't people learn that no means no. "I'm going by myself and that final."

His mind flew back to the present as he glared at Marandur now. He did leave by himself; he is a man, or lizard, of his word. But she simply followed him, and that annoyed him even more, so he finally gave in. _Damn woman, always getting her way._

As if hearing his thoughts she turned to look at him. She saw him glaring and just grinned. "Cheer up grumpy scales. Is it really that bad traveling with me?"

He just grunted and trudged on, starting to shake. He was just about to suggest they stop when he felt sudden warmth spread throughout his body. His energy came back at once, and his grogginess slipped away, as well as his frustration. "Now would be a good time to apologize for rudely leaving without me. You know you like my company."

He closed his eyes, enjoying the spell to its fullest. "You're the best Marandur."

She blushed and turned away, saying, "I knew that." before walking ahead. He grinned, walking with more energy in his step. As long as he wasn't cold, the trip wouldn't be as bad; it was a long way to Riften though, and he was debating whether he should stick with walking or hire a carriage. "Marandur!" He yelled, making her stop.

"What?"

"I was thinking that instead of walking, we should-"He began, but he stopped as he faintly heard a twang noise. Reacting as fast as a snake, he dived into Marandur, taking both of them to the ground as an arrow whistled over their heads. He landed on her hard, hearing the air flee from her lungs, and he jumped up, sword drawn and ready to fight. His sword was a short daedric sword with an evil curved point. He looked in the direction the arrow came from, and was surprised to see Thorin standing on a hill, walking towards them. He heard Marandur get up and hiss when she saw Thorin.

"What in Oblivion were you thinking bastard! You could have killed me!" Marandur screamed, flames beginning to sprout from her body like plants. She was a Dunmer, so she had her ancestors' fire, but whenever she was angry it activated by itself, and was a scary sight.

Thorin gave her a disgusted look. "Silence dark Elf. Kliftar was my target from the beginning; you would have just gotten in the way."

The flames double in size with her anger. She was about to let loose, but Kliftar lifted his hand, stopping her just in time.

"As much as I would like to see Marandur make your insides explode while inside of you, I don't think Mahargo would like us killing each other." He turned and glared at Thorin. "You have a petty squabble with me? Fine, we will settle this now. If you win, I will abandon this target. If I win, you will apologize and be on your way Thorin."

Thorin simply nodded, for once keeping his mouth shut. He got what he wanted; Kliftar drew a dagger with his other hand as Thorin drew his sword and shield. Thorin circled Kliftar, but Kliftar remained still, his eyes never leaving Thorin. Thorin lunged behind Kliftar, thinking this was a blind spot, and charged, thrusting his sword forward to stab Kliftar.

Kliftars style of fighting was very simple; He waited for the last second and then countered. Most of his opponents were dead before they knew he was there, but he still trained in combat, and had plenty of experience. When the sword was a few inches from his chest, Kliftar turned his body, the sword barely scraping his armor as it passed, and as he turned he thrusted with his sword as well, so fast Thorin barely raised his shield in time.

This was what Kliftar wanted; right when Thorin raised his shield to defend, blocking his eyesight, Kliftar lunged to the left, catching Thorin completely off guard. He tried to swing his shield around, but Kliftar was too fast; in the blink of an eye, he swung his dagger, cutting the leather straps Thorin was using for his shield. The shield fell to the ground as Thorin swung his sword, panicking.

The battle was already over; Kliftar easily evaded the sword and flipped his sword up to Thorin's throat. Thorin froze, knowing he had lost, and dropped his sword. Kliftar sheathed his dagger, then his sword, and then punched Thorin as hard as he could in the face, knocking him to the ground. Thorin looked at him, eyes wide with surprise and his hand holding his now swelling face.

"Apologize to Marandur and leave." was all Kliftar said as he walked away. He thought that defeating Thorin and making him look like the fool he is would cheer him up, but it only annoyed him. _This was a complete waste of time and energy._ He heard Marandur run up to him and continued on his way, hoping that this was the last bump in the road for today.

.

"What do you mean you have no rooms left?" Marandur demanded, slamming her fist on the bar top. Kliftar sighed, not as surprised as she was; it was the only inn around for miles.

"I mean what I say. We have no more rooms. Now either buy some ale or get lost." The Barkeep said, obviously not knowing who he was dealing with. Marandur looked like she was going to argue, but stopped herself and smiled. "Alright then, I will take my leave." But as she started to turn, she tapped a glass the barkeep was holding. Just as she reached the door, it exploded in his hand, most likely injuring him as they left as Marandur chuckled in satisfaction.

"Try not to attract too much attention; I would rather not have everyone's eyes on me right now." Kliftar said as the voices from the inn faded in the distance. "You are going to piss someone off and waste time."

"So? He shouldn't have been such an arse." Marandur said, shrugging it off as nothing. He sighed, knowing there wasn't much he could do. He looked around, finding a good spot to camp and headed towards it. Within an hour he had a fire going, meat cooking, and their sleeping furs spread out. Marandur took her meat off of the fire and took a bite, looking like it was the best thing she had ever tasted.

"Well look at you, a natural cook; I always thought Argonians ate their meat raw?"

"Ya, and all Khajiit are thieves, and all Dark Elves are dirty and poor." He growled, tearing off some meat and swallowing it before continuing. "Every race has plenty to say about the others, especially the Imperials and Nords. No I don't play with my tail, yes I have to tear a hole in all of my jerkins for my tail, no I don't eat children or swim with the fish. Any other questions?"

Marandur just burst out laughing, confusing him. "Only you complain about your tail Kliftar." She looked at him with her eyes all bright. Just as he was taking a bite she said, "But you got a good head on your shoulders and can cook. Now you just need a woman to smooth your rough edges."

He spit out his food, accidently swallowing some and almost choking on it, Marandur laughing the entire time. When he could breathe he replied, "No, I'm better off alone. No woman needs a man who kills for a living. I'm not husband material."

"I disagree." She said, and he waited to see if she was serious or messing with him. It was the former. "When I was going to disintegrate Thorin, you calmly stopped me, and then proceeded to beat him like an adult beating a child. Any man with patience like that is perfect husband material. And so what if all you do is kill? At least she knows you can protect her."

Kliftar chose to grunt in response, and Marandur shook her head. "Stubborn lizard. Hopefully someday you will open your eyes a bit." With that she lay down and went to sleep, leaving Kliftar confused and cold.

.

.

The next week was mostly walking. He decided to skip Falkreath and stop in Riverwood before heading to Whiterun to catch a carriage. It was a long walk, but they thankfully didn't run into anymore problems, which was rare in Skyrim. There were plenty of bandits and raiders willing to kill you for a few coins and the sword at your hip, so traveling with light numbers was always a risk. But Kliftar and Marandur were raised around here, and knew how to survive.

Kliftar sighed in relief when he saw the wall of Whiterun come into view. He couldn't wait to sit in a carriage and let a horse carry his scaly arse all the way to Riften. As they walked along the road to the city, Marandur suddenly spoke up.

"Before we go, there is someone I want to visit real fast." She saw his look and pouted. "It won't be long I promise. I want you to meet him too; he's a good friend of mine."

Kliftar didn't respond, and Marandur smiled, taking that as a yes. They got to the gates and Kliftar watched with sadness as they walked past the carriage and horse. _Soon._

They got to the gates and were let in by the guards. Out of all the guards in Skyrim, Kliftar respected Whiteruns the most; they were not only skilled fighters, but were fair as well, never treating any race differently. They were the only guards to almost catch him the last time he was here; thankfully he had his hood on, and most Argonians look the same to other races.

He followed Marandur as she led him past the blacksmith and the inn. He almost stopped in surprise when he saws her started up the stairs to Jorrvaskr, the home of the Companions. He shook his head and kept walking; he had no problem with them, and he was pretty sure they had nothing against him either.

As she opened the door, multiple scents hit him at once; he had a better since of smell than human species, and he got hit with the heavy scent of dog; either they had a lot of hounds, or there were a few werewolves among their ranks. Knowing this made him uneasy, but he didn't show it, walking in as if he lived there. He learned early on that the more you stop look curious, the more suspicious you look. And when you're an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood, suspicion was something you just didn't need.

He followed her as she walked up to a big guy in steel armor, with long black hair and dark eyes. "Farkas!" Marandur screamed as she ran at him. He smiled and gave her a bear hug, something Kliftar didn't envy.

After she escaped the hug she gestured to Kliftar, who had chosen to stay silent as always. "Farkas, this is Kliftar. He's also a good friend who has helped me out of a few tight spots as well."

Farkas nodded at him. "Hello Argonian. My name is Farkas of the Companions. Thank you for looking after Marandur; she seems to draw trouble wherever she goes."

 _No argument there._ He wasn't going to respond at first, but the scent of dog was very strong from this Farkas. He had never talked to a werewolf before, and his rare curiosity got the best of him. "I wouldn't call it looking after; more like I'm forced to watch her as she follows me." Farkas laughed, a deep hearty laugh, and Kliftar feared he would receive a hug. But Farkas turned to Marandur.

"I was on my way to deal with a small problem. Want to join along?"

Marandurs eyes lit up at the indication of mayhem. "Of course I will." She gave Kliftar a sly look. Kliftar just shrugged, not in the mood to argue.

They followed Farkas as he walked through the city, then out of the gates. Kliftar noticed the giant steel sword on the mans back. _Big and strong. Usually slow and easy to handle..._ Kliftar was eager tosee how Farkas fought as a werewolf, but he doubted that whatever they were going to take care of would force Farkas to turn. _Oh well._

Farkas finally turned and headed towards the small place outside of Whiterun called Honningbrew Meadery. There was a small man waiting outside the door who jumped when he saw Farkas.

"Thank Talos you came Companion. I was beginning to worry…"

"Fear not. The problem is inside?" Farkas said, unfazed by the way the small man was acting. The man was scratching at himself nervously. _Looks suspicious to me._

"Yes, huge Skeevers everywhere. They will ruin me if they aren't taken care of." He pulled a small coin purse from his cloak. "Will this be enough?"

"Yes." Farkas said, taking the bag and not even counting it. Without a second thought he just walked in, and to Kliftars annoyance Marandur followed suit, skipping through the door like they were going to the market. Shaking his head, Kliftar followed.

The instant he went through the door he knew they were in trouble. For one, he didn't smell any Skeevers at all. For two, there were at least eight men sitting at the tables, armed for war. They all slowly stood up, grinning, and Kliftar heard the door bang shut behind him. _A rat lying about rats. Who would have thought?_

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do see some Skeevers." Farkas said, pulling his giant sword off of his back. "About eight of them by my count."

"I'm just glad you can count that fast." Marandur said, smiling and letting her ancestors flame surround her. Kliftar stayed silent, drawing his sword and dagger. He was waiting to see the biggest man step forward claiming to be the leader, but to their surprise a man not even five feet five inches stepped forward, holding a axe in each hand.

"Alright, I don't know why there are three of you, but if you prefer to keep ye life, hand over everything you own and the companion."

Marandur smiled and answered by throwing a lightning bolt, catching one of the bandits dead in the chest. He convulsed as it hit him and hit the floor like a sack of potatoes, dead. The rest charged, and Kliftar decided to take on the little leader. He slowly walked up as Farkas charged the rest with Marandur.

"You must be the brains here." The little man said, spitting to the side. "Stupid lizard. Oh well, you bleed just like everyone else." With that the little man charged him, swinging an axe at Kliftars hip. Kliftar dodged, stabbing with his sword, but the bandit swung his other axe, parrying Kliftar, then swung again, forcing Kliftar to jump back. _Not even 10 seconds into the fight and this small Nord is a better challenge than Thorin. Sad really._

The bandit was skilled though, making sure to have on axe ready to parry, the other to attack. It was a good strategy, but it was nothing knew to Kliftar. Feeling the adrenaline rush through his body, Kliftar stopped, slightly lifting his left hand. Right when the bandit went to lift his axe, Kliftar threw his dagger hard. He saw it fly and catch the bandit completely off guard, sinking into his shoulder and throwing him off balance, and Kliftar stabbed, sinking his sword in the bandits' chest to the hilt. He heard the bandit gurgle on some blood before Kliftar ripped his sword out, sending blood flying everywhere. Another bandit rushed him at that moment, hoping to catch him off guard.

But it was no secret why Kliftar was so good at killing; because he enjoyed it. He easily evaded the blow from the bandit and got right in his face, smiling although he knew it wouldn't look like a smile. The bandit spooked, jumping back, and Kliftar lunged as fast as a snake, catching the bandits' throat, making blood spray him full in the face. The bandit fell, spraying the ceiling and walls with his blood before he died.

This wasn't enough. Kliftar heard movement behind him and swung around, swinging his sword widely. His sword was stopped an inch away from Farkas, a barrier stopping his sword just in time. Kliftar instantly lowered his sword, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. "I apologize. Sometimes I get into the moment."

"There is no reason to apologize. I am the same way." Farkas said, grinning. Kliftar looked around and saw that all the bandits were dead. He growled and wiped the blood off of his face just as the front door opened and the nervous man walked into the place. Kliftar waited, expecting Farkas to break his neck, but Farkas simply grasped the mans shoulder and walked out, followed by Marandur and a confused Kliftar.

"So…that wasn't a trap?" Kliftar said, coming off of his adrenaline rush and feeling tired.

"No, that group had been ambushing travelers on their way to Whiterun. We can't have them thinking they own the road." Farkas answered, and then he turned to Marandur. "Thank you for accompanying me again Marandur. I wish you luck on your journey, wherever it takes you." Marandur answered by giving him a hug.

Farkas turned to Kliftar and held out his hand. "You can hold your own, and have earned my respect. Travel safely brother, and may you have a good journey."

Kliftar simply nodded and shook his head, never one for conversation. Farkas took his leave, leaving them at the stable. Marandur pushed Kliftars shoulder, smiling. "See? Quick and easy."

Kliftar growled and walked up to the man on the carriage, asking how much the ride would be and counting out the gold. He got into the carriage and sat down, making sure to move his tail out of the way. Stupid _useless thing._

As the carriage set off, Kliftar closed his eyes, knowing that it was a long ride and trying to get some sleep. But he seemed incapable, and sat their brooding for the next few hours. As the sun was setting, casting light into their eyes, he thought he heard movement.

He grabbed Marandurs shoulder and shook it, waking her up. She blinked at him sleepily, trying not to yawn. All he said was, "Trouble." And she nodded, waking up instantly. It didn't matter though; All of a sudden the road in front of them burst into flames. The horse pulling the carriage leapt up on its back legs, jerking the carriage just as Kliftar had begun to get up. He was violently thrown from the carriage, hitting the ground hard and feeling the air leave his lungs. _Just can't have a good day can't I?_

He tried to get up, wheezing and hearing Marandurs battle cry, but something hit him over the head and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Kliftar regained consciousness slowly, like waking up from taking a longer nap than expected. After about a minute he began to notice his surroundings and himself. The first thing he noticed was that he was in a sitting position, with his hands bound by rope behind his back. He opened his eyes and saw nothing, so he knew that he was blindfolded. He almost gasped as he felt a sudden headache hit him like a hammer; whoever hit him over the head must have hit him hard.

Being an Argonian, lack of sight didn't cripple him as much as it would a Nord or Imperial. He took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling all of the scents of his surroundings. He smelled dampness and moss, so he gathered from this that they were in a cave. The smell of a fire as well as cooking meat hit him, as well as the smell of leather. The next smell he noticed was Marandurs scent, and it seemed to come from right next to him. He did his best not to smile; in a few seconds he determined their location and the location of Marandur.

Now he took another breath and did something that took a lot of training with Mahargo to master; he was going to pick out all of the enemies different scents to determine how many enemies there were. It could be as little as a different scent of armor, a certain item that gave a smell, even as little as the difference between who bathes more. It took him a few minutes, but he distinguished fourteen different scents; not good. That means that they were badly outnumbered.

He took in a deeper breath, but he couldn't smell outside or the breeze, so they must be a good distance away from the entrance of the cave. The more he figured out, the more he realized how bad their situation was. Who were these people? Why did they ambush them?

His thoughts were interrupted by someone grabbing his blindfold very roughly and tearing it off, making Kliftars head throb like a drum and pissing him off. His eyes quickly adjusted to the light, he saw the group that ambushed him. To his surprise, they were Stormcloaks; this only confused him more. What did the Stormcloaks want with him? He didn't even take part in the war.

One stepped forward and kneeled in front of Kliftar, taking their helmet off and revealing a human Nord, a woman at that. She had bright blue eyes and blonde hair. She would have had a pretty face, except for the evil looking scar running from the top of her right temple, all the way to the end of her jaw on the left side, taking a good chunk of her nose off. _The war wasn't kind to her. She's the one here I have to watch out for._

She said nothing for awhile, just analyzing his face. He said nothing, analyzing her right back; She was very tall, easily six feet or taller. She had a huge battleaxe strapped to her back, and her arms looked muscular enough to swing it easily. Out of all races, Nord woman were the scariest when it came to one-on-one combat; you rarely hear about a Nord woman being raped or taken advantage of.

"Green scales and horns down the middle of your head. Are you Kliftar?"

He said nothing, keeping his expression as blank as he could. He wouldn't give her anything to use. But he didn't know that by not saying anything, he confirmed her question.

"And doesn't talk much. Yes, this is the Argonian I am looking for." The Nord said, and Kliftar felt a small pang of fear. Only someone who knew him could give her that information. Was he betrayed?

"Listen well lizard; I am Felina Broadhand. I am looking for the Dragonborn, and I have very accurate information that you are looking for him as well. Tell me all the information I desire, and you will get out of this alive."

Just then Kliftar heard Marandur stir, waking up. Kliftar did what he did best; He stayed silent, not saying a single word. Felina stared at him for a few seconds, and then smiled. "The Imperial was right; he isn't much for talking. That's ok; we have ways of making you talk lizard."

Felina stood up, walking over to the fire as Marandur started noticing her situation. "Kliftar? Are you there?"

Kliftar growled to confirm, and he heard Marandur sigh in relief. "That's good. After you fell off of the carriage, I worried for your life." She took a deep breath and hummed. Kliftar watched a blue aura shoot out from her, washing over the cave like a wave. Some of the Stormcloaks jumped at this, one even cursed, but judging by their lack of reaction to magic, they had seen plenty of it before.

"Fourteen enemies. Shit, we seem to be in a bad position Kliftar. Have they told you anything while I was out?"

She grasped the situation fast; she knew they were in trouble. He saw Felina looking at him, and he sighed, not wanting to answer. "They captured Thorin by the sounds of it. They want all we know about the Dragonborns location."

She laughed, crazy as always. "If they captured him, then they should know that we are just as clueless as they are." Kliftar admired her attempt, but Thorin would have told them anything if he was tortured, like how much information they had. And Stormcloaks were a very determined lot; they would torture Kliftar and Marandur until they died and not lose any sleep.

Felina grabbed a pot out of the fire and brought it over to them. He saw steam rising from it, and realized it was boiling water. _This is going to be bad._

"I will ask you one more time lizard. What information do you know about the Dragonborn?"

Kliftar eyed the pot of water, debating whether to tell her or not; if they killed the Dragonborn, then it wouldn't be a loss for him. But he would have to betray the Thieves guild for it, and who knows what these freaks would do if they got their hands on them. So Kliftar hacked and spit a blob of snot, watching it hit her boots. All of the Stormcloaks went silent, but Felina smiled. She walked behind him, and he felt pain as she stomped on his tail, holding it in place.

"You were warned." She said, and began slowly pouring the boiling water out. It hit his tail, making a loud hissing noise and sending pain shooting throughout his tail as his tail cooked and sizzled. He did his best to be silent, but the pain finally got the better of him and he roared, growling and cursing while she poured the entire pot onto his tail. Even after the water was gone, his tail wouldn't stop screaming in pain, but he finally regained control of himself, enduring the pain silently besides his panting. Felina whistled, smiling, while Marandur tried to get out of her ropes, asking what was happening.

"You are a tough one lizard. Most men would be telling me everything by now." She took a deep breath and exhaled, laughing. "But your tail does smell delicious. Maybe I'll cut it off and cook it for my troops."

The rest of them laughed, but it died off quickly when Kliftar joined in. They went silent, but Kliftar kept laughing, tears streaming down his face. Even Marandur looked shocked at this.

"Cut off my tail?" He said after he stopped, smiling at her, showing his sharp teeth. "Go ahead; I hate the damn thing anyway. Eat it and choke on it bitch." He laughed again, completing the crazy look. Mahargo calls these moment 'when his crazy shows'. Of course, all of the members of the Dark Brotherhood were a little unstable; you have to be to kill anyone you're asked to, whether it is a woman or old man. But Kliftar could be considered the craziest one of them all, besides Jax; he just never really showed it. Kliftar didn't fear death at all; he saw it as an opportunity to meet Lord Sithis.

Felina looked at him differently, her smile gone. "This one is useless; he does not seem to fear death. We could do this all day and he would tell us nothing."

Kliftar smiled, glad she finally caught on. But while they were distracted by this, he was using his claws to slowly cut through the rope. He meant what he said, but he was smart as well as crazy. If he could somehow get his rope cut without being noticed, he could at least die fighting, not on his knees helpless. But to his horror he saw Felina turn her gaze to Marandur, smiling.

"If you will not talk, what about her?" Felina said, and he felt Marandur stiffen next to him. His eyes grew wide; he didn't know if Marandur could take it or not, and he didn't want her to get tortured in the first place. Felina smiled and went back to the fire. Marandur shook her head until the blindfold came off and she could see, and she looked pissed.

"Do what you want; I will not talk." She said, and Kliftar hoped this was more than a front. Felina didn't respond, but she grabbed something in the fire and pulled it out. Kliftar saw Marandur wince when she saw what it was; a sword that was put into the fire, apparently for a long time. The top half of the sword glowed orange, and Kliftar couldn't even guess how hot it was. He saw Marandur start sweating as Felina approached, her smile looking more like Kliftars now, a sneer. _I can't let this happen._ He kept clawing at his ropes, guessing he was about halfway through; not fast enough.

"Like the lizard, I will ask you once more." Felina said, kneeling down in front of Marandur, she lifted the sword next to Marandurs face, causing Marandur to flinch away from the heat. "What do you know about where the Dragonborn is hiding? Save yourself much pain; just answer me."

Marandur gulped, took a deep breath, and put on what Kliftar could describe as the most stubborn look she could muster. "Die and go to Oblivion, Stormcloak traitor."

Kliftar admired her courage, but Felina shook her head. "Fool, you are not prepared for this." And with no hesitation she pressed the full side of the blade against Marandurs face.

The smell of burning flesh hit his nose at the same time her scream hit his ears. She screamed as loud as she could, trying to mover her head away but Felina grabbed her hair with an iron grip, not letting her escape. Kliftar could only watch in horror until Felina ripped the blade away, burnt flesh clinging to the sword. Marandur slumped her head, her hair covering her face as she panted heavily.

"I'm so sorry Marandur." Kliftar said, feeling completely useless. He turned and glared at Felina, who still had that sneer across her face. "Enjoying this aren't you? Jealous because her face wasn't as monstrous as yours so you just had to try and change that? You ugly bitch" His anger was exploding, and he had then thought of standing up and rushing her. But with all of her comrades, he wouldn't even get to reach her, let alone do anything.

At hearing his words, Felinas sneer only grew wider, and she laughed, twirling the sword around. "Yes, you are right; I was jealous of her face. Well I'm not anymore." She kneeled in front of Marandur again, who had lifted her head up to glare at Felina. Kliftar winced at the horrible chunk of dead, burnt flesh on Marandurs face, and his anger only grew. He saw Felina slowly reach out with the sword, all of her attention on Marandur, and Kliftar couldn't contain his anger anymore; He lunged forward, hands still tied, and bit down on Felinas hand as hard as he could.

If you have never been bitten by an Argonian, then you don't know how bad it is; their teeth are as long as an alligators and they have a very strong bite force. Kliftar felt and tasted the blood that gushed into his mouth as his teeth went down until they hit bone. He expected Felina to scream in pain; she only hissed, pulling back and pointing the sword at his chest. _At least I went down fighting._

But Marandur was waiting for this opening; her body glowed, and another wave of magic burst from her, but this time it hit the Stormcloaks like a wall, knocking all of them to the ground, including Felina. Kliftar let go and fell on his tail, which cause him to fall to the ground as well. Marandur jumped up, taking advantage if the moment. Her hands glowed brightly for a second, and then her ropes burnt up, releasing her hands. As quick as she could, she reached into her clothes a pulled out a small dagger. She cut Kliftars ropes just as the Stormcloaks were recovering, putting the knife in his hand and standing up. She raised her hands, electricity jumping from her body as she shot a lightning bolt from each hand, hitting two of them and most certainly killing one.

Kliftar also wasted no time; he jumped up to his feet and rushed the nearest guy. He raised his sword to block, but Kliftar spun around, hitting the weapon out of his hands with Kliftars tail. It hurt, but it left the Stormcloak open, letting Kliftar plunge his dagger into the mans throat, pulling it out and watching the blood spray as he dropped the dagger and picked up the now dead mans sword.

He looked up and saw as frightening Marandur surrounded by the three elements of destruction magic. With her hands free, Marandur is a powerful opponent, who was greatly gifted in magic. He saw Marandur sending spell after spell at the Stormcloaks, causing confusion and chaos, giving Kliftar and her the advantage for now. Kliftar roared, running at another stunned Stormcloak and stabbing at him. He parried it, but lost his footing and fell back. With a roar of victory, Kliftar stabbed down, sinking the blade as far as it would go into the mans chest and ripping it out, blood flying off of the sword.

He looked up just in time to see Felinas battleaxe coming down. He moved just in time, feeling the force from the axe as it swung down. He thought that would give him the advantage, but Felina quickly charged with her shoulder, catching him off guard and making him stumble backwards, giving her time to lift her axe back up. They circled each other, glaring; without a dagger he was at a slight disadvantage, but she had a much bigger weapon, so he should have the speed advantage.

Thinking this, he waited for her to attack. She circled a bit more, and then lunged forward, seeming to swing from the left. Just as he tensed up to counter, she spun, so fast he almost didn't see it, and swung from the opposite direction. The speed which she swung caught him by surprise, and all he could do was evade the blade and jump back, feeling his heart jump into his throat. _If we continue, she will most likely win._

"You are not bad lizard; I've killed many men and women with that attack. But it's clear that you are unmatched. Just surrender and I wityll make your death quick."

He said nothing, lifting his sword and waiting. She was fast, but she was fast for the weapon she was using; with his smaller weapon, he should still be faster. He decided that the next move would be the last, and pointed his sword at her, ready.

She shook her head and lifted her axe, also getting ready. They stared each other down, both oblivious to what was happening around them, all focus on this final move. He waited for the slightest movement, even a twitch. She took a deep breath and moved. He moved the instant she did, lunging and thrusting his sword forward in perfect posture. If she had kept trying to attack, she would have taken the sword in the chest and died right there. But she was too experienced, and saw what he was doing.

She drew her arms in, swinging her axe up to block the blow. His sword hit her axe, and he almost cheered when he saw it fly from her hands. He drew back, ready to finish it, when he felt a blow land in his side, followed by sharp pain. He looked down and saw a dagger sticking out of his side, held by Felina. He thought he had disarmed her, but that wasn't the case; she willingly let go of the axe, moving to the side and pulling out a dagger while he was distracted. It was something only a veteran would be able to pull off, and she did it almost flawlessly.

But her blow was low and didn't finish him. With a roar, he brought the sword down, feeling it hit her other arm and sink in, cutting through skin and bone. Blood sprayed from her stump, but she made no sound; she simply jumped back, turning and fleeing while she could. She pulled the dagger out when she did, and he saw his blood spill out of the wound onto the floor. He went to follow her, but he lost the feeling in his legs and fell to one knee, surprised by how much the stab wound was affecting him. He growled and placed his hand over the wound. He started to concentrate, but was interrupted when he felt something hit him upside the head. He fell to the ground, nearly blacking out but holding on, his headache doubling in pain. He saw the Stormcloak get on top of him and raise an axe, ready to deliver the final blow.

He would have died then, but when the Stormcloak brought his hand down, his hand didn't come with; it was flying off in a different direction, and all he hit Kliftar with was blood. The Stormcloak looked at the stump dumbly, and then gurgled as a sword popped out of his chest, splattering Kliftar with even more blood. _I'll definitely need to buy new armor and clothes._

The sword pulled out, and Kliftar watched as the Stormcloak fell sideways, revealing Marandur behind him, covered in blood and looking liked a god of war. Panting, she dropped the sword and slumped down, looking exhausted. He slowly got up and saw that she had killed everyone else and shuddered. _Women are scary._

"Are you alright? Any other injuries?" He said, though his voice sounded weak. She shook her head, and he sighed in relief. He slowly crawled over to her and reached for her face. She turned away, but he grabbed her chin and turned her head back to him.

"What are you-"She began, but he growled, cutting her off, and closed his eyes, concentrating. It took a few seconds, but his hand began to glow a light blue, and her eyes widen as her face began to heal.

"I didn't know you knew magic." She said, amazed. He grunted. "I don't. I only learned this simple healing spell because I was injured once, and there was only one person with me. He wouldn't help; he only offered to teach me the spell, and I learned it to safe my life."

He finished up and looked at it. He was no mage, so it didn't heal completely and left a large nasty scar, but the wound itself was healed, so she was safe from infection and pain. "I did the best I could." He said, realizing his side was going numb. He placed his hand back over the wound, and healed himself as best he could. After he was done he sat there, panting, and felt Marandur lean her back against his.

"I'm amazed we are alive." She said, sounding as tired as he felt. He nodded and looked at his tail for the first time since the boiling water and flinched. His scaly skin looked almost cooked, and he knew if he didn't do anything it would get infected and have to be removed. He debated whether to let it happen then decided against it; if the infection spread to his body, it could kill him.

"I'm sorry about your tail." Marandur said, looking at it. "You already hated it before, and now it looks like I could take a bite out of it."

He chuckled softly. "It's fine. I can't hate it less. I'm sorry about your face."

She shook her head. "That wasn't your fault. Hell, even I didn't know you were that crazy." She went silent for a moment, and then said, "Does it look ugly?"

"No. You're still as pretty as always." He said, not good at compliments, but he relaxed when he heard her laugh. "Thanks for lying to me." They didn't say anything for a few minutes, then he felt her move and get more comfortable. "I'm tired. Is it ok if we stay like this for a bit?"

He chuckled. "We can stay here as long as you want. But Felina got away; if she brings back reinforcements, we would be in trouble."

She groaned, and slowly got up, holding out a hand to help him up as well. "If I see that bitch again I'll make her intestines explode while still inside of her." She said as he stood up, feeling like crap.

"I'll hold her down." He said, looking around. He found his weapons on a table and went to get them, feeling better with his sword belt back around his hips. He heard Marandur search the corpses for anything useful. As he stood there, he felt like he was forgetting something. He began to ponder about it, and then he saw a familiar sword and shield on the table, and his eyes grew wide as he remembered.

"Marandur, can you cast a spell to detect all life forms in this cave?"

She looked confused but nodded. "Then do it."

She didn't argue, and closed her eyes. This time a small red wave of magic pulsed from her, traveling all through the cave, then it came back to her. She opened her eyes. "There is one more person here, farther in then cave."

That was all he needed to hear. He walked into the cave, a confused Marandur at his heels. He smelled Thorin before he saw him, and knew it wasn't going to be pretty. When they came around a corner they saw him, locked up in a small cage. Kliftar walked over to the cage and almost flinched at what he saw.

Thorin, unlike them, was all alone, and got the brunt of the torture. His entire face was swollen and bloody, as well as their being burn marks and deep cuts all over his body. He raised his head when he heard them, and chuckled when he saw who it was.

"They managed to catch you, and you killed them. What are you Kliftar?" For someone who was tortured and beat, he sure seemed able to talk just fine. Kliftar drew his sword, breaking the lock to the cage and helping Thorin out. "It was actually Marandur that killed most of them. All I managed to do is get stabbed."

Thorin laughed as he tried to stand up, failing and having to be held up by Kliftar. "Well, did you two manage to kill that Felina bitch at least?"

They both just shook his head, and Thorin sighed. "Well, it could be worse. We could all be dead and this little group could have information they don't need. I have a feeling this won't be the last time she is a problem."

For once, Kliftar agreed.


End file.
